Bicycle saddle with vibrating massager

ABSTRACT

An improved bicycle saddle having a shell which supports at least one battery operated vibrator. When the vibrator is energized, its vibration causes the shell and therefore the bicycle seat to vibrate. The vibrator has an on/off switch so that it may be turned on periodically by the rider to improve the comfort of the bicycle saddle. The bicycle saddle is preferably supported by a rail which has two arms which extend from the front of the underside of the shell to near the back of the shell. A bearing is affixed about the end of each of the arms so that the arms may move inwardly and outwardly along the underside of the shell as the shell is flexed. The shell preferably has a central, angled valley and the saddle is flexible to provide further comfort.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The field of the invention is saddles and the invention relatesmore particularly to saddles for bicycles, although such saddles mayalso be used on motorbikes, car seats, chairs, truck seats, seats forgym equipment or for any seat for human use. The invention will bedescribed by way of a bicycle saddle, but the design criteria, ofcourse, can be used for other saddles.

[0002] There has always been a desire to provide bicycle saddles whichare comfortable for the rider. In addition, there is a desire for thebicycle saddle to be light in weight and small in size which tends tomake it more challenging to create a comfortable saddle.

[0003] One way of increasing comfort is to provide a longitudinalopening along the saddle as shown in applicant's U.S. Pat. No.6,422,647.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention is for an improved bicycle saddle having ashell with a pad on its upper surface. A lower surface of the shellsupports a rail which holds the saddle to a bicycle. At least onebattery operated vibrator is supported by the shell so that when thevibrator vibrates the vibration is transferred to the shell which causesthe bicycle saddle to vibrate. The vibrator is preferably manuallyoperated by an on/off switch near the front of the saddle so that it maybe used periodically by the rider to increase blood circulation andcomfort when desired. The vibrator preferably has an integrated batteryoperated motor which rotates a shaft to which an eccentric weight isaffixed to provide the desired vibration.

[0005] An additional way of improving the comfort of the saddle is toform the saddle in a shallow V-shape where there is a longitudinalvalley along the upper surface of the saddle which rises from a centrallongitudinal axis upwardly away from the center at an angle of betweenabout 25° and 35°. The shell is sufficiently flexible so that as therider exerts pressure on the seat the seat flexes toward a morehorizontal orientation. This flexion is permitted by the shape of theshell itself and is supported by the rear of the shell of the saddle bya pair of bearings affixed to the rail which holds the saddle to thebicycle. The bearings ride along the under surface of the shell and donot inhibit the flexing of the shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the top and right hand sideof the saddle of the present invention and showing a vibrator in phantomview.

[0007]FIG. 2 is a bottom surface view thereof.

[0008]FIG. 3 is a rear surface view of a V-shaped embodiment showing theshell of the saddle being supported by a rail through a pair ofbearings.

[0009]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the rear and bottom of thesaddle of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The improved bicycle saddle of the present invention is shown inperspective view in FIG. 1 and indicated generally by referencecharacter 10. Saddle 10 has an integrated battery operated vibrator 11shown in phantom view affixed to the under surface thereof. The term“integrated battery” is intended to mean a small motor in which thebattery is held within the motor housing. Saddle 10 has an upper pad 12which is placed over a shell shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings andindicated by reference character 13.

[0011] The bottom of the shell 13 is shown in FIG. 2 and indicated byreference character 14. The shell 13 supports a rail 15 which isgenerally U-shaped and has a base 16 held near the front 17 of shell 13.Rail 15 has two arms 18 and 19 which have a right terminus 20 and a leftterminus 21 affixed to the underside of shell 13.

[0012] Vibrator 11 in FIG. 2 is affixed along a central longitudinalaxis 22 and is supported by shell 13. Vibrator 11 has a motor 23 whichdrives a rotating output shaft 24. An eccentrically mounted weight 28 isturned by shaft 24 and causes the shell 13, and thus saddle 10, tovibrate when shaft 24 turns. Shaft 24 preferably turns at a rate inexcess of 3,000 RPM. The eccentrically mounted weight would typicallyweigh about 56 mg and have an outside diameter of about ⅝″. Whilerotating weight is shown as a means of causing vibration, other meansfor causing vibration may, of course, be used. A battery 25 energizesthe motor 23. The battery is preferably 3-6 volt and may or may not berechargeable. The vibrators may be located near the front, near thecenter, or near the rear of the saddle since the shell will vibrate as aunit.

[0013] A manually operated switch 26 is preferably positioned adjacentthe front 17 of shell 13 so that the rider can easily turn the motor onand off. A pair of conductors 27 lead from switch 26 to vibrator 11.

[0014] The vibrator need not be a single vibrator and a second or thirdvibrator may be added as indicated by the dotted lines indicated byreference characters 29 and 30 in FIG. 2.

[0015] An additional comfort feature is indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings where saddle 31 can be seen from a rear view to have ashell 32 having an upper surface 33 covered by a pad 34. The lowersurface of the shell 32 is indicated by reference character 35.

[0016] Shell 32 is formed with a central valley indicated generally byreference character 36 which is formed at an angle 37 with respect tothe horizontal on the right side and by an angle 38 from the horizontalon the left side. Analogous angles 39 and 40 are formed on the lowersurface 35 of shell 32 and a central notch 41 is formed along thecentral longitudinal axis 22 to assist in the flexing of the right half43 and the left half 42 of the shell.

[0017] In order to permit the flexure of shell 32, the rail 44 is notaffixed to the underside of the shell as shown in FIG. 2 by supports 45,but instead, is permitted to move along the lower surface 35 of shell32, as described below. In place of supports 45 which are part of theshell, a pair of bearings 46 and 47 are affixed near right terminus 20and left terminus 21, respectively. Bearings 46 and 47 have an externalrotatable ring 48 and 49. These rings permit the right and left terminusto move inwardly and outwardly as indicated by arrows 50 and 51.

[0018] Bearing stops 52 and 53 limit the amount of outward movement ofrail 44. The front end of rail 44 is analogous to that shown in FIG. 2and is held near the front of saddle 31, as shown best in FIG. 4 of thedrawings.

[0019] The saddle 31 may or may not be equipped with a vibrator orvibrators as its flexure adds comfort even without the presence of oneor more vibrators. Ultimately vibrators provide further comfort and arepreferred as additions to the saddle shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Vibrators54 and 55 are shown in FIG. 4 and are of the type which have anintegrated battery. Vibrators 54 and 55 are held against the undersideof seat 31 by clips 56 and 57. The vibrators may be removed by liftingthem out of clips 56 and 57, if desired. An on/off switch (not shown) ispreferably located in the front of the saddle and wiring to the motorsof the vibrators 54 and 55 can be embedded in the shell 52.

[0020] The present embodiments of this invention are thus to beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; thescope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description. All changes which come within themeaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to beembraced therein.

I claim:
 1. An improved bicycle saddle having a shell, said shell havingan upper surface supporting a pad and a lower surface supporting a railwhich holds the saddle to a bicycle wherein the improvement comprises:at least one battery operated vibrator supported by said shell, said atleast one battery operated vibrator being supported by said shell sothat when the vibrator vibrates, the vibration of the vibrator istransferred to the shell and causes the bicycle saddle to vibrate. 2.The improved bicycle saddle of claim 1 wherein said shell has a central,longitudinal axis and said improved bicycle saddle has one batteryoperated vibrator affixed to said shell on its central, longitudinalaxis.
 3. The improved bicycle saddle of claim 1 wherein said batteryoperated has a manually operated switch electrically connected to saidbattery operated vibrator to turn said vibrator on and off.
 4. Theimproved bicycle saddle of claim 3 wherein said manually operated switchis positioned on the lower surface of said shell near a front endthereof.
 5. The improved bicycle saddle of claim 1 wherein said batteryoperated vibrator has a motor having a rotating output shaft and saidrotating output shaft has an eccentrically mounted weight held thereonwhereby the energizing of said motor causes said rotating output shaftto rotate, causing said eccentrically mounted weight to turn and causingsaid motor to vibrate.
 6. The improved bicycle saddle of claim 5 whereinsaid output shaft rotates at least 3,000 RPM when energized.
 7. Theimproved bicycle saddle of claim 1 wherein said shell has a centralbisecting longitudinal axis dividing the shell into a right half and aleft half and an upper surface of said right half of said shell beingformed at an angle of from about—degrees to about—degrees from thehorizontal and the left half of said shell being formed at an angle offrom about degrees to about—degrees from the horizontal.
 8. The improvedbicycle saddle of claim 7 wherein a lower surface of said right half ofsaid shell being formed at an angle of from about—degrees to aboutdegrees from the horizontal and the left half of said shell being formedat an angle of from about—degrees to about—degrees from the horizontal.9. The improved bicycle saddle of claim 8 wherein said rail is generallyU-shaped and is oriented so that a base of said U-shaped rail is affixedadjacent a forward edge of said shell and two arms of said U-shaped railextend rearwardly to a right and a left rear terminus under said shelland support said shell through a pair of bearings affixed one bearingbeing affixed about each arm near its terminus whereby the bearingsprovide vertical support against the lower surface of said shell whileallowing the bearings to move inwardly or outwardly on said lowersurface as said shell flexes.
 10. An improved bicycle saddle having ashell, said shell having an upper surface supporting a pad and a lowersurface supporting a rail which holds the saddle to a bicycle whereinthe improvement comprises: said shell having a central bisectinglongitudinal axis dividing the shell into a right half and a left halfand an upper and a lower surface of said right half of said shelladjacent said longitudinal axis being angled upwardly at an angle offrom about 25 degrees to about 35 degrees from the horizontal and theupper and lower surface of said left half of said shell adjacent saidlongitudinal axis being angled upwardly at an angle of from about 25degrees to about 35 degrees from the horizontal and wherein said rail isgenerally U-shaped and is oriented so that a base of said U-shaped railis affixed adjacent a forward edge of said shell and two arms of saidU-shaped rail extend rearwardly with respect to said saddle to a rightand a left rear terminus under said shell and said two arms support saidshell through a pair of bearings affixed to said rail, each of saidbearings having an outer rotatable ring, one bearing being affixed abouteach arm near its terminus whereby the outer rotatable ring of each ofsaid bearings provide vertical support against the lower surface of saidshell while allowing the bearings to move inwardly or outwardly on saidlower surface as said shell flexes. whereby when a rider sits on thesaddle the right and left halves of said saddle flex downwardly aboutsaid bisecting longitudinal axis.
 11. The improved bicycle saddle ofclaim 10 wherein the lower surface of said shell having a pair ofbearing stops extending downwardly from said shell and positioned tolimit the outward movement of said bearings.